Korean Kamikaze

Korea | Film 70min, TV 55min | 4K | Color+B&W

Logline


Called heroes or traitors, perpetrators or victims—the Korean kamikaze. Through their paradoxical deaths, this film confronts the deep irony of war.

Synopsis


Japanese military suicide attack units included Koreans who were forced into becoming kamikaze pilots. Flying military aircraft into American warships, they carried out missions from which they would never return. Were these acts truly voluntary, or were they the product of coercion under colonial rule? Through multiple perspectives, the documentary Korean Kamikaze examines the lives and contradictory deaths of these Korean kamikaze pilots, inviting audiences to reflect on the complex realities behind their sacrifice.

Director's Statement


Even today, our world remains trapped in the irony of war and violence. By reflecting on the still indefinable deaths of the Korean kamikaze pilots, the film invites us to reconsider the wars that continue to shape our world today.

Director LEE Wonsik

Director LEE Wonsik graduated from the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). He directed the feature-length films, A Boy’s sister, Song of Korean Factory Girls, and Ikaino. His films have been screened at major international film festivals, including the Busan International Film Festival, the Jeonju International Film Festival, and the Montreal World Film Festival.

Producer RIKITAKE Toshiyuki

Producer RIKITAKE Toshiyuki served as the producer of the feature-length documentary The Stranger on the Ground. He also worked as the Japanese line producer for Song of Korean Factory Girls and Ikaino.